Roses and Sunsets
by elking7541
Summary: Belle sacrifices her dreams and her freedom to save her best friend from a menacing Beast that has kept her prisoner. When a mystery man offers to pay the Beast to take Belle as his wife, she must decide if the Beast is worth saving, or if she would be better off far away with someone she has never met. This tale as old as time gains a new twist.
1. Chapter 1

**Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite story. Ever since I was a little girl I would imagine myself in Belle's place; experiencing what she is living. And as a writer, I find new ways to bring this story to life. I am so excited for this new story. I hope you enjoy the first chapter of this tale as old as time! See you at the bottom of the page! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own beauty and the beast or any of its characters.**

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The wind whistled through the evergreens as the sun rose over the valley. The newly formed clouds were lined with various hues of pink and orange. I had not quite realized how long I had stayed out that evening. Surely Papa would not mind my late arrival back to our humble cottage. He had spent most of the day working on his newest contraption, anyway. He might not have even noticed that I did not return last night. I stretched my stiff limbs as my eyes continued to adjust to the lighting. After slowly raising myself, I noticed my dearest friend still in deep slumber next to me.

"Gardenia. You must wake now! The sun has risen." I said as I gently shook her arm. Her arms flailed in the air as she jerked herself awake. It took her several moments to obtain her bearings, and then realize that we had stayed out all night.

"Belle, you must remember to wake me more softly! I fear I shall one day strike you across the cheek!" She exclaimed as she brushed away several pieces of her auburn hair. I smiled as I got up and brushed the grass off of my skirts. "My parents are going to be simply furious when they see my appearance."

Gardenia was not a snob like most villagers believed her to be. She descended from a very well-to-do sort of family, but she knew how to let her decorum slide when she wanted to have some fun. She had a twin brother, as well as one older brother close to our age. They were rambunctious boys, but none the less they were my friends. Gardenia's father was like another parent to me. Although he was of high class, and I was not, he appreciated my friendship with his daughter and welcomed me into his home with open arms. Her mother, on the opposite spectrum, was a rather disagreeable woman. She cared for nothing but proper manners and etiquette. She bore children for the prospects of wealthy marriages rather than for companionship. She did not quite take to me much. She felt that I greatly reduced Gardenia''s worth.

"I was focused more on that lovely sunrise before us rather than your grass stained skirts." I replied as I pointed to the horizon. She paused and took a deep breath, savoring the beautiful art nature had created.

"It is quite wonderful. We should do this again very soon." She said.

"Yes we should. I would not at all mind to wake up to this beautiful view." I replied.

"For now, I regrettably must return home before my mother has a fit over my whereabouts. Would you like me to accompany you back to the village first?" Gardenia asked with a more relaxed tone of voice.

"Thank you my dear, but I believe I can manage. You must get back to your family. And I would rather enjoy a morning walk to myself. I shall still join you for tea later this afternoon if that is alright." I replied. She nodded and waved goodbye as we parted.

I lived in the center of the hustle and bustle of our village. It was a small, quaint cottage. Much too small for more than three people, but it was most definitely home to me. I took off down the hills and hummed the sweet songs of the birds flying above. I dreamed that one day I would be able to live among nature and its beauty. I imagined my life just like this very hour: free. I paused to rest as I came upon a large log by the river. I decided this was the perfect moment to document my outing for the day. I sketched the flowing water in front of me and the creatures that chose to name this place their home.

"Papa will be very happy to see that I visited his favorite spot today. What do you think? Should I add some more shading?" I said to a cat who plopped down on the log beside me. The cat meowed and sniffed my parchment as I revealed my work. I stroked the cat's soft orange fur and grinned as it started to purr at my touch. "I suppose you are free to do whatever you like." I said to the animal. He stared at me, and I wondered if he even realized that I was talking to him. "Maybe one day I can build a small house along this river and you can come stay with me. How would that be my little orange friend?" He meowed once more. "Well, as much as I have enjoyed this lively conversation, I must get back to the village." I said. I clasped my journal back together and tucked it away in my skirt's pocket. The nestled village soon came into sight as I continued to walk. Just another day in this poor provincial town. Most of the people I encountered seemed to be in a cheerful mood as I moved about the crowds. Although, there was one smile that I did not wish to see that morning.

"Ahhh good morning, Belle!"

Gaston LaCroix was deemed the most handsome man in the county by many young females...I was not one of them. Gaston's family owned the local tavern, and with so much business from locals and visitors, thus was able to afford to construct a large house just outside the village. Gaston had it all: land, wealth, and youth. After his poor father passed away from influenza a few years ago, he was left to inherit everything to support him and his elderly mother. He hired men to run the tavern for him, at a cost of course. The only work I had ever seen him involved him getting up from his deer-skinned chair, walk to the bar, and get another beer. Any girl would be considered lucky to obtain the affection of such a man, but I was not interested in a provincial lifestyle such as that. I wanted adventures.

"Good morning, Gaston." I replied as I continued to walk passed him.

"It's such a beautiful day! Why don't we take a walk down to my tavern and take a tour of some of my beloved hunting victories." He said as he caught up to me and grabbed my arm. I pulled away, completely disinterested and tired of his games to win my affections. Nothing I ever said or did made him stop his advances. I endured it for the time being, because I knew one day I would never have to see his face again.

"Maybe another day. I must make my way home, now. My father will be needing some help." I said as I ran off. "Finally." I whispered to myself as I ran up the stone steps of my home. "Papa?" I called as I entered the through the front door. There was not the slightest movement or voice. I wandered into the kitchen and found plates still sitting on the table. I smiled as I picked up the plates and placed them in the sink. I knew exactly where he was.

"Papa? There you are!" I exclaimed as I found him in the cellar of our home. "Have you been working down here all night?" I asked him. When he did not answer my questions, I realized that he was asleep under his contraption! "Papa!" I said as I leaned down and tickled the bottom of his foot.

"Belle!" He said as he laughed and slid out from under his machine. "I am so glad you made it home. Did you enjoy the sunset last night?" He asked.

"I can very much say I did, although my time extended into the sunrise this morning, as well. I'm afraid I cannot stay too long. I promised Gardenia I would join her for tea this afternoon. If that is alright with you of course." I said.

"My dear it is perfectly fine with me, but I think it is about time you start making some new acquaintances! There are plenty of people in the village who would love to be friends with you." He said.

"I do believe they find me quite strange though, Papa. Gaston is the only other person that pays mind to me, and I see no admirable qualities in that man whatsoever." I replied. He smiled and stroked my cheek.

"You will have your adventure one day, my daughter. You must simply be patient." He said. Little did I know that this life-changing adventure was closer to my grasp than I had ever realized.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello all of you lovely viewers! I hope you are all having wonderful weeks. I am just sitting here writing my head off as I anticipate the new live-action Beauty and the Beast! I cannot wait to see what they do with it. It is time for the next chapter of our tale. I hope you all enjoy it and I shall see you at the bottom of the page! :)**

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Gardenia Allaire possessed every gown that her heart could ever desire. Her closets were filled with clothes of the finest fabrics and shades. While I did not have much in my wardrobe, it was still an expectation, set by Gardenia's mother, that guests were too arrive for visits in their finery. I usually chose to ignore this rule. I was much too welcomed into the home for Mrs. Allaire to argue with my plain appearance. I did decide, however, to change my dress so that I would at least not appear with grass stained skirts. It had been quite too long since I had last done any laundry, so my dresses were all out of commission at the moment. I wandered into my parent's room and searched through my mother's closet. My mother passed away not but a few months ago, and after, my father gave away most of her clothing to the other poor neighbors in our village.

"Where did you say you were off to my darling?" My father asked as he peeked his head inside of my room.

"Allaire Manor for tea with Gardenia. I won't be long, and I shall be back in time to cook dinner for you." I replied as I admired my dress in the mirror. He nodded, but did not turn to leave. Instead, he simply stood there staring at me.

"Is something wrong, Papa?"

"No, nothing is wrong. That dress, it just reminds me so much of your mother." He said. He came over to the mirror and brushed his hand along her initials, stitched on the cuff of my right sleeve. "She would be so proud of you, Belle."

"I would dearly hope so." I replied.

I bid goodbye to my father and prepared my horse for the ride to Allaire Manor. Phillipe was a kind horse, but stubborn in spirit when he so desired. The manor was in no doubt his favorite place to ride. Along the way we would encounter hills and areas with nothing but pure green grass for him to canter. I would find myself arriving late some visits simply because I stopped to admire a piece of land along the route. It had been some weeks since I had last been to the manor, but I did not realize it until I came to the gates and was greeted with open arms.

"Belle! Long time no see!" Gardenia's oldest brother Francis said as he picked me up and spun me around.

"It is lovely to see you! I know it has been quite some time since I was last here." I said as I reached for Phillipe's reigns. Francis accompanied me to the stables to hand Phillipe to the stable master.

"I dare say you look even more handsome than the last time I saw you." The stable master nodded and led Phillipe to an empty stall.

"How kind of you to say. What brings you all the way out here?" He asked.

"I am supposed to be having tea with Gardenia, but I see that she is no where to be found." I replied.

"Well, come into the house. I am sure she is about." He said. Allaire Manor was one of the most beautiful houses I had ever seen. It's floors were crisp white and did not have a speck of dirt even in the cracks. The high ceilings created an echo in our voices as we spoke amongst one another. The walls and furniture had accents of gold and cream colors throughout every room. It was pure magnificence. At the top of the stairs stood Mrs. Allaire. She was a rather plump woman who usually wore some type of large pastel gown and bejeweled shoes. Her pinned up hair was raven black, which Gardenia compared to being the color of her natural soul. I did not disagree with her accusations.

"How good of you to pay a visit, darling Belle." Mrs. Allaire announced as she descended the grand staircase. It was just then that Gardenia's twin brother, Jean-Luc, also made his way down the staircase, but by different means. He seated himself on the railing and slid down in front of his mother. Her face instantly turned to complete disgust as she watched her son lose all decorum. I couldn't help but laugh as I complimented his smooth landing. Francis escorted me into the drawing room, with no complaints that Gardenia was no where in sight.

* * *

Mrs. Allaire watched as her son escorted Belle into the drawing room. She did not like the fact that Francis was so enthusiastic about her presence. What could a little peasant girl such as that have to offer a wealthy, young bachelor? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Mrs. Allaire grabbed a hold of her son's arms and whispered closely in his ears.

"Jean-Luc, do you believe that Francis and Belle are just slightly too comfortable with each other?" She said sternly.

"You mean...is Francis attracted to Belle? I cannot say that I would know, mother." He replied.

"I want you to keep a close eye on those two. I will not have any flirtations with peasants in this household." She released Jean-Luc's arm and gave him a glare before he made his way into the other room. She was very serious when it came to her threats. If Jean-Luc would not keep the two apart, she would.

* * *

I could not help but laugh at the two boys sitting in front of me. They had this wit and comedic attitude about them that seemed to fill the room with joy. I cannot say that I know where such characteristics came from. After all, their mother was quite bitter. An hour had passed since I had a arrived at the house, and still, there was no appearance from Gardenia. Francis informed me that the last time they saw her she went out for an afternoon ride.

"She said she would be back before your arrival." Jean-Luc said as he took another biscuit from the table. Gardenia was never one for being late. I did not want to believe that something was wrong. If I did, her mother would go ballistic.

"I think I shall check the stables and see if any one has seen her." I said.

"That sounds like a rather good idea." Francis agreed. The two boys followed me to the stables. Her horse was still missing, and none of the stable boys had seen her since she left.

"That is very odd indeed. Perhaps I should ride after her." Jean-Luc offered. It was just then I heard a loud animal cry coming from the other side of the hill. All of us turned around simultaneously, and watched as Gardenia's horse ran towards us.

"Daisy! Daisy darling do calm yourself!" I said as I stroked the top of her head. "Where's Gardenia? Can you show me?" I begged the horse. She turned herself around as if she was asking me to climb on her back.

"Belle you should stay here. I will go find Gardenia." Francis said as he started to climb on the horse's back. She pushed him off and snorted in his face. It was me she wanted.

"Brother let Belle go find our sister. It seems the horse has already made that choice for us. Besides, if something is wrong, Belle may have better luck bringing Gardenia home than we would." Jean-Luc was beginning to make sense. I was her closest friend. If anyone could bring her home, it was me.

"Tell my father where I have gone. I will be back with her as soon as I can." I said. Daisy took off as fast as she could across the hills. I had never seen a horse run so fast. I sensed her tension and her fast heart beat. I began to worry even more about my friend when we entered into the woods. The sun was going down and our light was slowly fleeting. I tried to make Daisy turn back. It would be no use looking for Gardenia when it was completely dark. The horse refused, instead, her speed only increased deeper into the woods. Creatures from every angle had their eyes on us as we rode. I'm sure they wondered what a white horse and young girl were doing sprinting through their territory. Daisy halted mid trot and neighed as we arrived at our destination.

A castle...a dark castle. The front gates were practically rusted to the point of collapse. The exterior of the castle was covered in dark green moss and layers of ivy. Surely this is not where my best friend was being held? Who could possibly live in a castle that was falling apart? I looked at Daisy in disbelief, but she insisted that I enter the gates. I tied her up on a post immediately through the entrance. I was scared, to say the least. I felt foolish for putting myself in this kind of situation, but nevertheless, I was getting my best friend out of there.

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 **It seems that Belle has stumbled upon a mystery! I wonder what she will find inside the castle. Thank you all so much for reading! Remember to R and R and follow/favorite as well!**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **TheUserOverHere: Thank you very much for your review! Also, thank you for the follow, as well! I am so glad you are enjoying the story so far! :)**

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 **The Queen of Water: Thank you so much for following and favoriting! I am so glad you are enjoying it! :)**

 **Well...that looks like all for tonight everyone! Until next time my dears! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a great week! It is time for the next chapter of our Beauty and the Beast adventure! I hope you all enjoy it and I shall see you at the bottom of the page! :)**

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The cobblestone walk leading up to the main doors were uneven and severely damaged. I minded my footsteps as I made my way closer to the structure. Whatever happened at this dreary castle, must have been violent and depressing. The front doors were no less damaged than the rest of the grounds. They were made of a heavy wood, and they were at least triple my height. The door knocker was non-existent and the doors were obviously not able to be closed all the way. I pushed them open as best as I could, glancing at Daisy before entering into the castle.

"Hello?" I said quietly as I came inside. There was no answer. My surroundings were nothing but patches of darkness. The sense of sadness and depression loomed over my head as I continued to walk forward. A lone candle placed on a dusty fire place mantle was my only source of light. I picked it up and carried it with me for guidance. I began to contemplate the idea that Daisy had led me to the wrong place. It looked as if no one had entered in this castle for years, so surely Gardenia was not being held here. I started to turn back, but it was then that I noticed a strip of red cloth on the floor in front of me.

"This is part of Gardenia's cloak." I whispered to myself. Daisy had never steered us wrong before, so I continued to search. No other clues of Gardenia's whereabouts were evident other than the small piece of cloth. I called her name, but there was no reply. I decided my best path was following where I had found the cloth...through the small wooden door in front of me.

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"Master! You cannot keep this girl locked up in here! She must be willing to stay freely!" Lumiere pleaded as he tried to comfort the girl cowering in the corner of her cell.

"The spell shall be broken through her. We can make her cooperate with us!" The beast snapped in reply.

"Forcing this kind of affection will do no good, sir! We will be making no progress in our goal to break the spell. You must let her go." Mrs. Potts reasoned. The beast would simply not listen to the reason of his servants. His greed and bitterness had overtaken his judgement. He would be a man again, and he would force any girls hand to make his desire comet true. Little did he know that you cannot force true love.

"Hello?" A soft voice echoed from the bottom of the steps in the tower.

"Did anyone happen to hear that?" Cogsworth mentioned to those around him.

"Belle..." Gardenia whispered to herself. The servants and the beast stared at the girl, wanting more information. Instead, the beast bid everyone to hide to observe the rescuer.

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The steps seemed to last an eternity. There was no end to this climb, and still no answer to my calling out. Suddenly, I could see light shining in the distance. I quickened my pace and finally made it to the top of the staircase. I was in some sort of tower, and there, in the corner, in a rusty cell, was Gardenia. She looked frightened, and also surprised to see that I had found her.

"Gardenia! We have been looking everywhere for you!" I said as I rushed to her side and knelt down in front of her.

"How on earth did you find me here?" She asked as she grabbed my hand in between the bars of the cell.

"I can explain all that later, but first we must find a way to free you." I replied as I examined the lock and the stability of the cell itself.

"Nevermind that you must flea this very moment! This castle...it's a live. They are watching you right now you must run!" She pleaded. Had I truly been listening to what she was telling me, I might have been more careful of my surroundings, but as soon as she finished her sentence, a gust of wind snuffed the flame of my candle.

"It seems that we have another intruder." A deep voice spouted from the corner. I wanted to speak, but no words came out of my mouth as I tried. "Lock the other one up, too." The next thing I knew I was being shoved into the cell with Gardenia. I felt nor saw any hands placed upon me. All I saw was the slamming door as I was tossed in next to her.

"I believe they are gone. Now what are we to do?" Gardenia asked.

"As long as we are in here we might as well think through our plan. In the mean time, tell me how you got in here. It may help me determine a way for us to escape." I said.

"I went out for my afternoon ride, just as I always do. I took a wrong turn somewhere, and I stumbled across the castle. I felt as though there were some travelers following me at a close distance. It was rather uncomfortable. I decided to seek help in the castle, but instead I was deemed an intruder and locked up."

"So you came inside an abandoned, dark castle instead of riding ahead of the travelers following you..." I said.

"I suppose I was too panicked to think things through." She replied. "But that is not all! This castle _MUST_ be cursed!"

"Cursed?"

"Objects! Several household objects spoke to me and to the voice as I was being locked up!" She said.

"You must really be out of your head my dear friend. There is so no such thing as curses or magic or talking objects." I said. She dropped the matter, realizing that I would not believe her words until I saw these 'talking objects' with my own eyes. I observed the cell further as our conversation subsided. The locks and bars were not going to be an option for escape. I climbed onto a wooden stool and looked out of the small window on the wall.

"There is a balcony below, and a small lake underneath the balcony. If I can lower you onto the balcony, you can get down and swim to the other side of the lake. By then you should be close to the gate. Take Daisy and go get help. One of us must stay here. I shall make up something when they ask why you are not present." I replied.

"Belle it is silly for you to stay! Why can we not go together?"

"Who knows if they have an army or some kind of guard. They will not search for you if I am still here. I shall tell them you had passed away from starvation and I dumped your body into the water. They will not suspect anything. You will be able to get help without obstacle. I know the woods may be somewhat dangerous, but you are a fast rider. I know you can get home quickly. Godspeed my friend." Though my planned sounded quite far-fetched, we both knew this was the best way to escape the captors. I tied together some rope and cloth, draped it out of the window, and helped Gardenia to shimmy her way to the balcony. It wasn't long before she disappeared into the water. Surely, she would be able to bring help.

* * *

It must have been another three hour before I heard more voices coming up the staircase. There was at least two males and one female.

"I still say the Master will _NOT_ be happy when he finds out what we have done!" One of the voices fussed.

"Cogsworth you are mistaken! The Master will thank us for this one day." The other said.

"I think the girls deserve at least some hospitality for all the Mast has put them through." The female replied. The darkness was still too prominent for me to see the figures.

"Bonjour!" One of the voices greeted. A few candles were lit to alleviate stress on my eyes. When I focused my vision, I realized a candle stick was talking to me! Next up the stairs came a talking clock and a tea pot!

"All of you...you...you...you can talk?!" I said as they came closer and opened the cell for me. I stayed next to the wall to be sure that I was in my right mind. Perhaps Gardenia was not as crazy as she sounded when she told me that the castle was cursed.

"But of course! I am Lumiere and I would like to introduce Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts." The candle said. What was I supposed to say to a candle, clock and tea pot? I had no words.

"I might be mistaken madam, but, were there not two of you?" Cogsworth stated as he came towards me and looked inside of the cell.

"Right...my friend. She passed away about an hour ago from lack of food and also from shock. She had health problems to begin with. Her frail body could not handle this environment. I placed her body in the lake below. I felt she deserved a better burial than in this filthy cell." I said. The three stared at me, and in my head I was hoping that they would believe my crazy story. They seemed to pay no mind to what I had just told them. They were much more interested in me than they were in Gardenia.

"Well, you cannot spend your days rotting away in this place. Come, my dear, let us show you to your room."

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 **Well, it seems that this is only the beginning. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Remember to R and R and follow/favorite as well! :)**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **The Queen of the Water: Thank you so much for your kind review! I saw the movie as well and I thought it was quite wonderful! :)**

 **LoverofLoveX2: Thank you very much for following and favoriting this story! I am so glad you are enjoying it so far! :)**

 **Marie Mclaire: Thank you for following my story! I really appreciate the support! :)**

 **Well that looks like all for tonight! Until next time my dears! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Good evening my lovely readers! I hope you all are having a wonderful day! It's bright and sunny here, which gives me perfect weather to sit on my back porch and write a chapter or two. So I feel super bad about leaving y'all hanging all the time, so I have created an instagram page for all of my followers! It will give you sneak peeks at upcoming chapters to all of my stories and updates! Feel free to send any questions to the page as well! So follow me fanfiction_elking7541 if you wish! Here is the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it and I shall see you at the bottom of the page! :)**

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Mrs. Potts insisted that she would bring me a fresh cup of tea as soon as I was settled in my room. I was not holding my breath to the kindness that was being bestowed upon me. Lumiere and Cogsworth whispered among themselves as we walked through the east wing of the castle. Every inch of this place was falling apart. There was no speck of happiness to be found. Lumiere turned to me and began to speak, but my head was processing too many things at once, and it was rather difficult for me to concentrate on his words.

"Watch your step mademoiselle! We cannot have you falling and hurting yourself! Those steps can leave some nasty bruises!" The steps were only half in existence as it was, and falling on them was the least of my worries. In just moments we arrived at a set of double doors, hidden in the corner of the east wing. They stretched to the top of the ceiling, and they were outlined in gold. I was sure they were going to give me the smallest and dirtiest room in the whole castle, and as a prisoner I expected nothing more. When I stepped in the room I was more than proven incorrect. It was the most extravagant room I had ever seen! At least two of our cottages could have occupied this space! The trim was pure gold around the top and bottom of the walls, the bed had a light blue canopy draped over the top and fresh silk sheets.

"This is spectacular!" I exclaimed as I circled the room and took in the adornments.

"Only the best for our beatiful new guest! Now then, we should dress you for dinner! The Master will be very hungry very soon! Carlotta mon ami, do come out and greet your new muse!" Lumiere said as he went over to the wardrobe. Suddenly butterflies spouted out from the drawers, and the doors began to open.

"You're alive as well! Why am I not very surprised." I said.

"Why of course darling! Before I was transformed I designed the most beautiful gowns! Come come now turn for me. We must find you the perfect dress for dinner." She said. I slowly walked over to her and watched in amazement as she stretched out her arms and turned me around. She retrieved three new gowns just in the time that I was standing in front of her. Though they were somewhat dusty, the quality of the gowns could not be denied. Two were made of fine silk and the other of the softest cotton. The colors were rich and vibrant, and the details they possessed were incomparable. Even Gardenia did not have such fine dresses as these.

"While these gowns are exquisite, I do not believe I am going to dinner." I announced to the room. Cogsworth came close to a heart attack while Lumiere's flames were extinguished as I spoke.

"But miss! The Master will be expecting you! What are we to say if you do not attend the meal?!" Cogsworth tried to reason with me. Though I feared these kind people would gain the backlash of my decision, I simply did not want to have dinner with a monster who kept me as prisoner!

"Did I just hear that correctly?" Mrs. Potts exclaimed as she came in the room with a warm cup of tea. "Lumiere, Cogsworth, let me talk to the girl. Do give us some privacy, dears." And just like that they turned around and began to leave, mumbling to themselves as the door shut behind them.

"I've lost my family, my friends, my freedom all in one day. I prefer to not socialize with the beast who has taken all of that away from me." I said to Mrs. Potts as she poured the tea and added some sugar.

"The Master may appear to be coarse, but I promise you my dear that he is not as terrible as he seems." She said.

"With all do respect, I find that quite hard to believe." I replied.

"Just give him a chance to warm up to you, dearie. It has been quite some time since he has been forced to use his manners. Now drink some more of your tea and then we shall find you a little something to eat before you head off to bed." These enchanted objects somehow made me feel more at ease for my situation. Crazy as it may sound, at least. No matter what, I was sure that Gardenia would be on her way to rescue me at any given moment.

* * *

 **Gardenia's POV**

I made it back to my house as quickly as I could. I felt as though I had just been through the worst of nightmares. What was I to do?! Tell everyone I had been captured by some mythical beast and that I had been held hostage and that now he has my best friend? Breathe, Gardenia. When I reached the house, Francis was sitting on a bench near the stables. I ran into his arms completely out of breath.

"Gardenia you look like you've been through a storm! What on earth happened?" He said as he observed the damage to my being.

"T-they have...they have her..." I said as I held my stomach and continued to pant.

"Slowly now...who do they have?" He asked.

"They have Belle! I managed to escape, but they still have her. We must save her! Fetch me my own horse!" I yelled at the stable boy watching our conversation. Suddenly, everything went black.

* * *

 **So yes I know this is a super short chapter but mostly this was just fill-in until we get more deeply into the story! Remember to R and R!**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **Kikoo100: Thank you for following the story! Glad you are enjoying it so far! :)**

 **Until next time my dears! :)**


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